Dear all, with apologies for cross posting.
RGS-IBG Annual Conference
31 August – 2 September 2011
London, UK
Call for papers: The transition to a low carbon economy: implications
for housing and urban development
Conveners: Louise Reid (University of St Andrews), Donald Houston
(University of St Andrews)
Sponsored by the Planning & Environment Research Group and the Urban
Geography Research Group
The move to a low carbon economy is frequently presented as a solution
to both the economic downturn and the anticipated impacts of climate
change (While /et al., /2010). An off-spin from the sustainable
development meta-narrative (Raco 2005), the low carbon discourse has
received criticism for being a weak form of ecological modernisation,
where eco-efficiency and technology-led solutions dominate (Lovell
2004). As mechanisms through which the low carbon economy may be
realised, housing and urban development have been at the forefront of
recent campaigns; the code for sustainable homes and the zero-carbon
standard are two prominent examples of the dominance of efficiency and
technology in policy-making. However, many questions remain about the
role that housing and householders can and should contribute to the low
carbon economy, and whether the low carbon economy is indeed even
desirable. For instance, is carbon management proving to be ‘less than
progressive...reinforcing existing social and spatial inequalities,
expending the reach of market environmentalism, and strengthening the
power of the state and capital at the expense of consumers, workers and
interests in social and spatial equity’ (While et al., 2010)? In short,
who are the winners and losers of this transition, and what are the
implications for all of us involved in housing and urban development:
planners; managers; housing providers (and registered social landlords
in particular); home owners; tenants; and, the homeless? In this session
we therefore invite papers which critically evaluate the relationship
between the low carbon economy, housing and urban development.
Those interested in participating, please send an abstract or proposal
(up to a maximum of 250 words), clearly stating name, institution and
contact details, to Louise Reid: [log in to unmask] by Friday 11th
February 2011.
Dr. Louise Reid
Research Fellow
Centre for Housing Research
School of Geography and Geosciences
The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens
University of St Andrews
St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9LZ
CHR Website <http://ggsrv-cold.st-andrews.ac.uk/chr/homepage.aspx>
T:+44(0)1334 467293
F:+44(0)1334 463920
The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland : No
SC013532
|